Rotary make-up electrical connector for underwater use



Sept. 23, 1969 D. J. DICKERSON ROTARY MAKE-UP ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR UNDERWATER USE Filed May 15, 1967 f/vvszvroe. DELBERTJ DICKERSON am a 4% flrroeuss s.

United States Patent 3,469,044 ROTARY lMAKlE-UP ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR UNDERWATER USE Delbert .I. Dickerson, RU. Box 6, Agoura, Calif. 91301 Filed May 15, 1967, Ser. No. 638,354 Int. Ci. Hiilr 13/52, 33/30 US. Cl. Mid-51.07 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed to improvements in electrical connectors for underwater use at whatever depths ranging from shallow to deep submarine immergence. In keeping with its objective of assuring the connector contacts against water access, the invention employs the general combination of a connector plug and base or receptacle, the plug containing an insert carrying plural contacts receivable within contact openings in the base, the body of the plug being rotatable relative to the insert so as to make and break contact with lead terminals entering the plug. The plug and base are releasably inter-engaged for relative plug rotation and moisture access to the insert conductors is effectively precluded by facing the insert with rubber which becomes a compressed sealing gasket upon mating of the plug and body in current-passing association.

The connector may be used in conjunction with any underwater electrically energized equipment, although as an illustrative adaptation the connector has served effectively to pass current to an underwater lamp in association with winch the connector body may have a venting feature to relieve any excess pressure that might develop within the lamp.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For underwater usage it is essential that electrical connectors have at least two features of assured reliability in service, the first being facility in making and breaking the electrical connection by joining and separating the connector sections and the second being assured preclusion of water access to conductive parts of the connector under hydrostatic pressures that may range from more shallow surface depths to great depths that may be encountered for example in oceanography explorations.

The invention is predicated upon the concept in contrast with the straight plug-in electrical connector employing prong and receptacle components fixed in relation to their respective connector parts, of providing for the making and retention of the electrical connection by rotative coupling of the connector sections and in a manner such that one of the sections contains a contactcarrying insert about which its connector section is rotatable while the insert is held against rotation by the other section. The sealing function then is accomplished by interposition between the sections at the insert face of an elastomeric seal which upon mating of the sections becomes compressed, squeegeeing out any water present and thereafter functioning as a positive seal against water access to the engaged conductors within the connector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Specifically the invention contemplates the combination of a base or receptacle section having plural contact openings in number depending upon the type and wiring of the circuitry, and a plug section having plural lead terminals and containing a relatively rotatable insert having sealed engagement with the body of the plug and through which pass plural conductors receivable within the base or receptacle section so that upon rotation of the plug relative to the base, the insert conductors make and break contact with the plug lead terminals.

An elastomeric facing of the insert about and preferably directly against the insert conductors, forms a compressible seal against water access to the conductors and conductive components of the receptacle when the connector sections are mated as by rotation within arcuate body recesses of peripheral lugs carried by the plug.

All the features and objects of the invention as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view showing in elevation the electrical connector coupled to an underwater lamp appearing in longitudinal cross section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and illustrative of the connector sections in engaged condition;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the connector sections relatively rotated for release;

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross section on line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded illustration of the connector sections appearing in perspective.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS In reference first to FIGS. 3 and 5, the connector generally indicated at 10 is shown to comprise a base or receptacle section 11 and a plug section 12 both of which are made of suitable non-conductive material, typically machined nylon.

About its plug engaging face the base section 11 is shown to be arcuately projected at 13 with diametric interruptions at 14, the portions 13 being arcuately recessed at 15 to receive the plug as will later appear. For sealing against a part such as lamp 16 to which the connector may be coupled, the connector base 11 may be recessed to receive an annular O-ring 17 to seal against the end 18 of the lamp and about the threaded neck 18a of the connector base. At this point it may be mentioned that for some purposes, such as the relief of excess pressure within a lamp chamber, the connector base may be provided with a vent passage 19 the outlet 20 of which is normally closed by O-ring 21 which however is deflectable at the outlet to relieve pressure transmitted through the passage 19.

It will be understood that the connector may be designed to accommodate any plural number of circularly arranged contacts and conductors. As illustrative, the plug 12 is shown to have a cylindrical cavity 22 at the base of which is exposed a pair of terminals 23 for conductors in the line or cable 24 leading to the connector. The plug contains a rotatable cylindrical contact carrier in the form of an insert 25 which may also be made of nylon having fluid-tight engagement with the wall of the cavity 22. This carrier insert carries a pair of conductors 26 passing through the insert so as to present terminals 27 engageable with the lead terminals 23 and at the other end to present prongs 28 receivable within conductive receptacle contacts 29 in the base 11 in the made-up condition of the connector, see FIG. 5. Thus in that condition the body of the plug 12 is rotatable about the insert 25, the latter being held against rotation by reception of the prongs 28 within the base so that contacts 23 and 27 engage and disengage by rotation of the plug. The latter is shown to have formed integrally therewith a diametrically opposed pair of lugs 30 receivable Within the Spaces 14 and rotatable therefrom to enter the recesses 15. The interengagement of the connector parts so effected may serve merely to lock the parts in a degree of fixed position closeness suitable for compression of the latter described seal, or the lugs 30 and configuration of the recesses 15 may produce a camming etfect tending to progressive compression of the seal. 1

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the insert has an elastomeric facing 31 for which a soft rubber layer bonded to the insert, has proven effective. As illustrated in FIG. 7 the seal layer 31 is applied about and in engagement with the contacts 28 and may be necked at 33 about them so that the necked portions of the rubber directly seal the entrances to the receptacle openings in' the base 11, thus to cause the seal'to squeegee outwardly any water between the connector sections in the process of their interengagement to the condition of FIG. 3.

As will be understood from the foregoing the connector sections are electrically connected initially by straight thrust of the prongs 28 into the receptacle contacts 29 with contacts 23 and 27 disengaged. Thereupon by rotation of the plug, contacts 23 and 27 are brought into engagement in which condition the assembly is retained in Water sealed condition by the entry of the plug lugs 30 into the base recesses 15.

The connector is shown typically to be employed for the supply of current to an electrical underwater lamp 16 shown to comprise a metallic body having end portions 18 and with an arcuate interconnecting end bridging portion 36, see FIG. 6. Welded to the ends 18 and 35, and to the edges of the bridging extent 361 is a reflector 37 spaced at 38 to provide a water channel, the inner face 39 of the' reflector having a high polish for reflection of light from lamp 40 which is electrically connected with the connector base 11 through itsthreaded neck. The lamp 16 may be suitably mounted as by fitting 41 threaded at 42 into the lamp body end 35 and carried by bracket 43. The lamp body carries a cylindrical high temperature resistant glass cylinder 44 terminally sealed by O-n'ngs 45 and 46 compressible by tightening the ring nut 47.

Because of heat generated within the lamp chamber 48 by a high intensity lamp 40 it is found desirable to cool the reflector 39 by formation of openings 49 and 50 within the .chamber end closures and through which occurs convection circulation of the water within which the lamp is submerged. In any position of the lamp, water heated in-the channel 38 tends by lowered density to escape into the cooler ambient water and in so doing to create thermally reduced circulation through the channel.

Should for any reason moisture enter the lamp chamber 48 with attendant pressure development because of the lamp heat, the chamber is relieved of excessive pressure by way of the connector vent passage 19 past O-ring 21 as previously described.

I claim:

1. An electrical connector for underwater use comprising an electrically insulative body, a pairof conductors contained within the body, an insulative plug, plural conductor terminals within the plug, an insulative contact carrier rotatably carried by the plug, apair of conductive contacts extending through said carrier, said contacts being engageable with said conductors to retain the carrier against rotation relative'to said body and the plug being rotatable relative to the carrier and body to bring said pair of contacts into and out of engagement with said terminals, compressible elastomeric sealing meansextending about said. contacts between said .body and carrier, said body having a pair of openings to be penetrated by the contacts when the contacts are brought into engagement with the conductors, said openings having mouths larger than said contacts and sized to receive penetration by said elastomeric sealing means for tightly sealing oflf between the body and carrier in response to compressive deformation of said sealing means between the carrier and body, and locking means carried by the body and plug interengageable by relative rotation thereof to axially force the body and plug together to compressibly deformsaid sealing means.

2. A connector according to claim 1, in which said body and plug are axially separable and movable together into engagement.

3. A connector according to claim 2, in which said interengageable means comprises a plug projection rotatable into an arcuate body recess.

4. A connector according to claim 1, in which said contact carrier comprises an insert rotatably within an opening in the plug and carrying the contacts.

5. A connecto r according to claim 4, in which said conductor means comprises a pair of conductor re- 6. A connector according to claim 1, in which said locking means comprises a pairof opposed lugs on the plug andapair of body recesses into which the lugs are rotatable.

7. An electrical connector for underwater use comprising an electrically insulative body, conductor means contained within the body, an insulative plug, plural conductor terminals within the plug, an insulative contact carrier rotatably carried by the plug, a pair of conductive contacts extending through said carrier, said contacts being engageable' with said conductor means to retain the carrier against rotation relative to said body and the plug being rotatable to bring said pair of contacts into and out of engagement with .said terminals, said body containing a passage for, venting fluid from a source attachable to the body, and valve means for preventing reverse water flow into said passage.

8. A connector according to claim 7, in which said means comprises an O-ring carried by the body and normally closing the outlet of said passage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,760,138 5/1930 Hunt 2005l.07 2,313,165 3/1943 Nelms et a1 200--5l 2,619,515 11/1952 Doane. 3,112,975 12/1963 Hamel 339B9 ROBERT K. SCI-IAEFER, Primary Examiner D. SMITH, JR., Assistant Examiner US. or. X.R. 339459, 111 Y 

